When the Latter Took the Lead
by emberfire411
Summary: They're gone. All six of them. With Selina and the Trix still out there. And Daphne and Roxy to pick up the pieces.
1. Prologue

**Title: **When the Latter Took the Lead  
**Full Summary: "**They're gone; the protectors of the magical universe. The guardians of the magic and the heroes of the dimension. The Winx and the Specialists. They're gone and they're never coming back. With Selina and the Trix still out there. And Daphne and Roxy to pick up the pieces.  
**Chapters: **TBD  
**Pairings: **We'll discuss that later; don't want to give any spoilers on what characters will be appearing! For now count on Daphne/Thoren, and eventually Roxy/Andy.  
**Spoilers up to: **Season 6, Episode 9. Everything after that you don't really need to know because we're heading down AU Avenue.  
**Trigger Warnings: **Character Death (seriously like 83% of the main cast I did the math don't say I didn't warn you)  
**Dedication: **Once again, this fic is the brainchild of both myself and the fabulous xBloomStarx. She helps plot these bad boys, and I love her for it.  
**A/N: **It is said that one of the main reasons character death is used in fics is to explore what the universe would be like in the event of said death. And that got me thinking; what would the reaction be if the Winx and the Specialists died in battle? Could anyone ever replace them? Would anyone _try_? Also I've fallen head first into the Marvel fandom and, you know, _Avengers_.

* * *

By now, it isn't a surprise when the Trix unleash a 'Monster of the Week' back on Earth. Roxy's heard the stories and seen the videos Andy and her parents have sent her. And - perhaps most importantly - Bloom and the rest of the girls are always there to send it back to whatever dark hole it crawled out of. Putting themselves in harm's way and never getting harmed; off to save the day and earn the praise of the magical dimension.

So when there are five, loch ness-type monster spotted off the coast of Honolulu, Roxy doesn't bat an eyelash when she sees the Winx Club heading down the halls towards Faragonda's office, more than ready to defend the world. She doesn't stop to think as the sound of a Red Fountain heliship interrupts Wizgiz and his lecture on morphing into plant life. Nor does she savor the small smile and pat on the shoulder Brandon gives her as he walks by with Stella, discussing how best to confront the situation.

Because they're the Winx Club and the Specialists. That's what they do. What they've always done.

And they've always come back.

* * *

Ten hours later, Honolulu is in shambles. Few people can accurately attest to what's happened, and if they can, they're probably part of the rescue teams searching through the wreckage for survivors. By now, Roxy's made herself comfortable in her room, a holographic screen up and playing the latest news coverage. Andy's on the phone, jabbering into her ear about everything he saw and how Rio's family lives on the north side of Oahu and he's taking a plane there right now and he saw Bloom and three other girls in some video footage…

"Slow down, Andy," Roxy waves her hand, knowing perfectly well he can't see her. "What other girls?"

"Three other ones; white, brown, and black hair. They're playing the clip right now on Fox."

Roxy reaches across her bed for the remote, and flips through the channels (Tecna had been a goddess and set the TV up so she could get the channels from earth). The image on the screen shakes and focuses on three girls opposite of Bloom, dressed in cool colors and far too much eyeshadow. "Those would be the Trix." she says, a small voice starting to ask questions in the back of her head. _What were _they _doing there?_

"Well whoever they are, they're pretty damn powerful. They uprooted a hotel and threw it on Flora. Like, the _whole building_."

"Is she okay?"

There's a notable pause on the other end of the line. "Haven't you asked her?"

"What do you mean have I asked her? They're still back on Earth."

"No they aren't. All the reports say they've returned to the magic dimension. No one can find them here."

The sentence hangs in the air, and all Roxy can do is turn back to the screens. "I heard Brandon and Stella. The plan was to come back in the helicarrier…" no sooner are the words out of her mouth than a new video appears, showing one of the monsters grabbing the ship out of the sky (with sharp teeth that dig into the metal hull and make Roxy's heart rate jump) and slamming it into the ocean multiple times. It breaks apart, small forms thrown into the ocean that look suspiciously like people.

Andy does his best not to say 'I told you so'. "Like I said, those witches pack a punch. Whenever those monsters started losing power, it was like they recharged them. They were getting beat up pretty bad. Everyone thinks Bloom and the girls drew back."

"There's no new information here. Faragonda would've told me." Well, Roxy _hopes_ Faragonda would've told her, but as of late it seems she's only summoned Roxy for animal communication purposes. It's like everyone here forgot she helped saved the world once, too.

"Well then where are they?"

"I don't know!" Roxy snaps. There's a cold sweat starting to go down her back. "Maybe in the search effort?"

"Wouldn't they have said something though?"

"Well they don't always say things. Remember what happened with the Sphinx? The battle was over and they left Egypt without talking to anyone."

"But at least at that point news stations had picked up on their location."

"What are you implying, Andy?"

"I don't know, just...I'm worried."

Roxy wraps her free arm around herself. "Listen, I'm sure everything's fine. They always come back, right?"

Three things happen at once. First, the screen cuts to a video Roxy hasn't ever seen before, of a blonde haired girl dressed in black with a book in her hand. The video's been shot from a distance, but the girl's features are still visible. She's standing a good distance away from the fight, not getting involved, but she's muttering into her book, and when her lips stop energy beams shoot out from it. The camera momentarily follows the energy beams, where the Trix absorb them and in turn use it to feed the monsters power. Secondly, amidst the noise from the television and Roxy's own head trying to piece puzzles together, Andy says in her ear "Isn't that Selina King from middle school?"

And finally, on the screen, the footage of Selina cuts to a live recording of first responders pulling Riven's non-responsive body from the ocean.


	2. The Fear We're Falling Apart

**A/N: **I know I called it Domino not Sparx I'm making progress. Also, the quote used in this chapter is from Amit Kalantri. You'll know it when you see it.

* * *

Chapter 1: The Fear We're Falling Apart

* * *

Everyone in the Winx Club is presumed dead in Honolulu. Full bodies are never recovered, but miscellaneous body parts and weapons and wing fragments are. The same fate is given to all the Specialists after their ship is found lodged into a coral reef, broken into three pieces. The only two exceptions to this are Roy, who wasn't on the mission whatsoever, and Riven, who the medics managed to revive but then lost to a coma. They couldn't even transport him off-world, so that left him sitting in Pali Momi for who knew how long.

Roxy doesn't cry. She knows she should, but there are too many other emotions bashing together in her brain.

Classes are suspended for Thursday and Friday, creating a long weekend that is filled with silence and sorrow. Red Fountain is off for twice as long as Salidin starts working on his grandson's funeral. There are elaborate services being held all over the realms, but Roxy decides to return to Earth where Mike and Vanessa have arranged a private memorial service.

Klaus is equally torn up when Roxy gets home. He doesn't even say anything when she walks through the door, instead giving her a long, hard hug. She notices his eyes are red, and feels a small pang of guilt; everyone at Alfea had been so focused on the girls, they'd almost never mention the boys. But Klaus had spent a year working with them, joking about customers and balancing orders on crazy nights and tossing a drink back after hours, soft laughter and voices providing a nice ambiance for the Fruity Music Bar. And - she realizes with an even greater sense of guilt - this is the second time Klaus has gone through it.

"I'm so sorry, Dad," Roxy says, unsure of what else she can say.

"Ah, honey, _I'm _sorry." He pulls back to look at her, grabbing the small bag she packed off the ground. "How are you holding up?"

"...Okay," she finally answers. "It's like a dream."

Klaus smiles sadly and nods. "I know. It must be strange at school."

"Yeah. It probably won't be normal again for a while."

"It'll take time, that's for sure. You heard anything more about Riven?"

Roxy shakes her head. "No more than you do."

"Figures." He shakes his head, too, like he wants to comment on the situation but thinks better of it. "The service is tomorrow, midday. But for now, you want something to eat? I ordered some Chinese, but there's some leftover mushu pork and rice."

"That sounds nice," Roxy says, and follows him into the kitchen, leaving her other bags on the stairs. As she follows him into the well-lit room, Artu briefly lifts his head to greet her from the floor. He doesn't run to her and jump though, almost like he's aware of the situation. Roxy smiles and bends down to scratch his ears, a gesture he accepts without a fight. The smell of soy sauce and takeout fills the kitchen, mixed with orange from the candles burning in the windowsill. Klaus almost never lit them, but Morgana always insisted they added a homey touch.

"...Where's Mom?" Roxy asks, almost as an afterthought. She doesn't really blame herself, though; besides the few weeks before she departed for Alfea and a few semester breaks, she doesn't have any strong memories of living with Morgana. For the longest time it was just her, Klaus, and Artu. It was hard to think so much had changed.

Klaus grabs an extra paper plate from the cupboard. "She's…in Tir Nan Og."

Roxy's eyes widen. "What? Why?"

"Nebula asked her to come and sit in on a few meetings with the...Major Fairies? Some group like that. They want her input."

"Input on what?"

"Defense strategies. Everyone's worried that these attacks on Earth aren't going to let up anytime soon."

The pieces come together and click in Roxy's head, and the sense of dread in her stomach becomes more prominent. "With the Winx gone, there's no one to defend the Earth."

"Well, not no one. Morgana said Nebula's working on a task force of some kind. Something to help keep those witches away from here."

"That's...good."

Klaus raises an eyebrow at her, and Roxy turns back to Artu, scratching his ears again. "What?" he asks her.

"It's just…well, if Bloom and the girls and the rest of the Specialists couldn't even defeat the witches, why does Nebula think some 'task force' will?"

"Why do people believe a group with magical fairy powers can defend the world against an evil force?" Klaus smiles at her, and for the first time in a few days, Roxy does too. "It's important to be ready for a fight, Roxy. But it's also important to have hope the fight turns out well."

"You're right, Dad."

The microwave dings, and Klaus turns to retrieve the food. "Besides, it looks like we're getting a couple days peace for now. I'm sure when or if those witches attack again, Nebula and your mother will have a plan worked out."

Roxy gently knocks on the wood floor, and straightens up to go grab her food.

* * *

"It's been four days and I still haven't cried yet," Roxy whispers to Andy as they enter the church, dollar bills in their hand to purchase candles to light. "Is that weird?"

"I haven't either," Andy says back, and Roxy believes him. His eyes - albeit weighed down with dark bags that suggest a major lack of sleep - are dry as a bone. "I'm upset, sure, but I just feel…"

"Hollow?" Roxy supplies, dropping the bill into a donation box and taking a candle from the pile next to it. There's a line of people ahead of them, dressed mostly in black, lighting and setting the candles around a large cross. Unlike the few videos Roxy's seen from Magix, she actually recognizes people here, and knows they had personal connections with Bloom. The ceremony is much smaller, the pictures of Bloom from friend's albums and the momentums left on the table much more personal. It makes the pain all the more real.

"I'm too angry to cry," Andy whispers as the line goes forward. "I wanna find those witches and give them hell."

"And you would accomplish this task how exactly?"

"...Big words and very well-thrown punches?"

Roxy smiles lightly as she places her candle into the sand, next to a picture of Bloom and Andy from Junior Prom in the eighth grade. "She'd tell you you're crazy." Roxy remarks. She turns her gaze to Andy to find his eyes are looking a little mistier. He places the candle down next to hers, kisses his index and middle fingers, and touches them to the picture. "We should go find seats," is all he says to her, and they make their way towards a bench in the middle of the church.

They find an empty space near a few of Mike's ladder company members (one of which is Andy's father Jack, who Roxy notes at the other end of the pew, his face set in a stony mask that almost imitates his son). As they wait for the service to start, Roxy glances around the church, from her parents sitting closer to the altar to Bloom's aunt Caroline a few steps away from Mike and Vanessa to the Ellis twins, who Roxy hasn't seen since they moved to New York City back in high school.

"I realize they have a planet to run and everything," Andy whispers, already picking up on who Roxy is looking for, "But you'd think Oritel and Miriam would take time to attend the funeral of their own daughter."

"It's Marion," Roxy corrects him, "and Domino's having a separate funeral service. It's being broadcast tomorrow, my roommates said."

"Oh great, I'll be sure to tune into that on my intergalactic television," Andy sighs and leans back. "The Holloways raised Bloom, that's all I'm saying. Not some high and mighty royal couple who came back to life a few years ago. They shouldn't act like it."

"Andy," Jack's warning comes from across the pew.

Roxy waits for the rest of the row to become involved in a different conversation before she addresses Andy again. "Being mad at Oritel and Marion won't bring Bloom back."

"I know."

"I'm not thrilled they aren't here, either."

"I know."

"Maybe they're respectfully giving each other space. Bloom said they usually never got along."

Andy huffs. "Can't put differences aside even in death."

"Andy," Roxy wants to say more, but at that moment Mike walks up to the altar, and the church goes quiet as people settle in their seats. She watches him take papers from inside his suit and unfold them, laying them down on a small wood podium with shaky fingers. She physically feels pain radiating off of him, can see it from the thirty feet she's spaced from him. Roxy watches him take a shaky breath, and then, with a surprisingly steady voice, he speaks;

"Good afternoon family, friends, and all others gathered with us today. My name is Mike Holloway, and with my wife Vanessa, we have gathered together today to honor the life of our daughter, Bloom. Reverend Pappas will be reading the eulogy today, but...before he does, I'd like to say a few words."

Roxy swallows thickly, and on impulse reaches for Andy's hand. It's clammy, but she holds tight to it nonetheless.

"My daughter, as I'm sure anyone with cable TV is aware of, was not exactly a normal girl." A few chuckles come from different areas of the room, and Mike smiles a bit. "In her teenage years my wife and I discovered she had a wonderful gift, bestowed upon her by forces of the universe we couldn't even begin to imagine. And almost as soon as she did discover these powers, her goals shifted to try and learn about them and master them. Though I spent those years terrified out of mind that she was going to get into some crazy trouble or help in a war effort on a far off planet...deep down in my heart I couldn't have been more proud of her.

"That was just the kind of person Bloom was. She was kind, and caring, and resourceful, and all she wanted to do was help others. At times it was difficult to remind her to even focus on herself. Even before all of this happened, back when she was in the third grade, I remember her spending all day in front of our house selling lemonade with her friends. She wanted the money for an art kit, or so I had thought. By the end of the day she had around thirty dollars in bills and coins. But instead of using that money for what _she_ wanted, Bloom tried to give it to one of the men in my ladder company. His wife had died of bone cancer two weeks earlier, and she wanted him to use the money to buy a bike for his son. She told me 'He's always so sad in class, Daddy. But before, Andy always used to laugh and talk about getting his own bike. I think that would make him happy again.'"

The grip on Roxy's hand tightens, and she turns to see tears rolling silently down Andy's cheeks. She catches his eye and he gives her a pained smile. She wraps her arm around his shoulders and leans her head on his forearm. Her eyes begin to mist up as Mike continues;

"That may seem like just a silly thing a child would think or do, but that pretty much summed up how Bloom was in life; loyal, caring, and putting others before herself. Sometimes, even the entire universe before herself. There are things my daughter did in her life to help others that I'm sure I would never understand, even if I spent my whole life trying to. But what I do know...is that I couldn't be more proud of her."

Mike wipes his eyes with the sleeve of his suit, shuffling through his papers. "I just have one more thing. A quote that Bloom had hanging in her room; she put it there not long after she'd departed for school in the magic dimension. It says '_Magic is not just for the entertainment, but to inspire people to be creative enough with their lives.'_ I know my daughter inspired a lot of people in this world, and in worlds I can't even pronounce correctly. But if I could…" A small pause, and a shaky breath. "I-If I could thank her for inspiring anyone, I'd thank her for being such an inspiration to me."

Mike steps down from the altar, and Roxy realizes that for the first time in four days, she's crying.

* * *

The rest of the service contains kind words and well-planned speeches, but Roxy is so emotionally drained after Mike's that she just rests her head on Andy's shoulder, slipping in and out of her own thoughts and fake-praying with the others until Andy nudges her shoulder, and she looks up to realize people are standing and starting to file out of the church. Sheepishly, she finally lets go of Andy's hand, and they head outside to a grassy field outside the church, where there are tables and chairs set up with drinks and sandwiches.

"You wanna go talk to Mike and Vanessa?" Roxy asks, grabbing a water bottle from the refreshment table.

"In a minute, yeah." Andy shuffles around the ice bin until he comes back with a hard cider. He pops the lid off and takes a long drink from it. "If I go over there now I may start bawling again."

"You weren't bawling. And I can't _believe_ you're drinking that in a _churchyard_," Roxy hisses.

"Hey, they can card me. I turned twenty-one two months ago."

Roxy almost rolls her eyes, but stops midway when she sees the look on Andy's face. The best way to describe it is a look between annoyance, and thinly veiled agony. It makes her heart break into smaller pieces than it was when the whole fiasco started. "Hey Andy?"

"Mhmm?" he says, taking another drink, the bottle almost half empty. His eyes are fixed on the cross at the top of the building.

"Andy, really." Roxy says.

"Yeah?" he lowers his vision back to her, moving the bottle a few inches from his lips. "What?"

"Thanks for being with me today."

Andy puts the drink down all the way, a glimmer of a smile on his lips. He starts to respond to her, but just as his mouth starts moving, a nasally voice pipes up from behind them, sounding a bit impatient. "Umm, excuse me, but you're blocking the table."

Roxy turns around and finds herself trying not to reach forward to snap bones. "Mitzi," she finally manages to say. "Sorry; I didn't see you there."

"I figured. Pass me a diet soda?"

Wordlessly, Andy obliges, and Mitzi taps the top of the can with a perfectly manicured fingernail. She's dressed all in black, but it's accomplished in true Mitzi style with tight-fitting jeans and a sheer black top. "I didn't expect to find you here." Andy states, giving her a condescending look.

"My parents insisted I attend," Mitzi says, as if it were obvious. She turns and looks at Roxy, her face betraying what looks like guilt. "But for what it's worth, I am sorry about all this. Bloom didn't deserve it; no doubt about that."

Slowly, Roxy nods. "Thank you."

"I tried to spell you into oblivion once; no need to thank me." Mitzi manages to crack a small smile, and Roxy wonders how such tragedies work so well at bringing people together (_people who aren't royalty, anyway_, a small voice in the back of her head pipes up. Roxy tells it to be quiet). Mitzi's gaze shifts, and Roxy watches it fall on Andy. "How about you? Holding up, Andy?"

"As best I can," he responds, his voice still tense. "It's not easy losing people you love."

"You have that same look on your face that you had when your mother died," Mitzi says, and Roxy watches his jaw bone shift. "I just… remember Bloom trying to get you to smile after that. Besides the bike. Like, throughout all of third grade. It was actually kind of annoying, but then there was that whole incident with the feathers and glitter glue in art class…"

Roxy had never attended elementary school with Andy, Mitzi, or Bloom, and wonders how difficult it would've been to put up with eight-year-old Mitzi. But the day keeps on getting stranger when, to her utter shock, Andy cracks a grin and starts chuckling. "Christ, I'd forgotten that." he remarks, almost wistfully.

"Elle certainly didn't." Mitzi's smirking, but there's a kind of genuine happiness to it that honestly kind of freaks Roxy out. "Who knew our class would end up being full of magical whatevers, huh?"

Andy shakes his head. "Certainly not what I was expecting."

"And _speaking_ of not what you're expecting," Mitzi leans towards them, and Roxy for some reason follows suit. "_What_ is the deal with King?"

She raises an eyebrow. "King?"

"Selina King."

Roxy's mind flashes back to two separate images. One of a young girl with a blonde bob who spent her middle school lunches in the library, pouring through novels and almost always not talking to anyone who disturbed her. The image is a bit blurry since after those three painful years, the girl in question left the school without so much as a goodbye.

The other image is much more clear. Of a girl with slightly longer blonde hair holding a book in a video taken several days ago.

"She was in one of those videos they were showing when this whole… thing happened." Mitzi's thoughts seem to be on par with Roxy's. "I didn't know Selina was a fairy."

"...She's not. Not to my knowledge, anyway."

Mitzi's eyes widen. "Wasn't she there helping Bloom?"

"No."

Andy slaps his fist into his open palm. "I _knew_ I'd see her in a video. I told you, Roxy."

"But...no; that doesn't make any sense. She wasn't helping us." Roxy's head is swirling. Selina possessing any kind of magical abilities is shocking enough, but there's no way in Hell she was with the Winx and Bloom hadn't said. But that _was_ Selina in the videos, no doubts, and that…

"If she wasn't there with Bloom, then that means she was with the Trix." Andy says.

The idea seems so preposterous Roxy wants to laugh, but there's a dark feeling in the back of her mind that's telling her this is no joke. "C'mon, Andy. Selina and the _Trix_? She's not even a fairy! My mother's been working with Nebula to try and track down all of the girls possessing magical abilities on Earth; they would've found her by now."

The idea seems logical and sound, but Mitzi again decided to actually be intelligent and blow everything out of the water. "What if she's not a fairy, though? What if she's a witch?"

And that is a possibility Roxy has never considered until that very moment.

"That would explain her with the Trix," Andy's saying when she focuses back in on the conversation, "but not why she suddenly had a personal vendetta against Bloom."

"Isn't there someone you can talk to?" It's strange how the only comments Mitzi has ever said to Andy previously included the words 'Band Geek' or 'Four Eyes', but now the two were going back and forth like a flipping ping pong ball. Roxy had never had such a strange set of events occur so close together in her life, and that was _including_ the time she found out she had magical powers and got kidnapped by a group of fairy hunters.

"I-I don't know," she finally says, crossing her arms over her chest. "I doubt Oritel and Marion would have any knowledge about Bloom's education here, and Mike and Vanessa have no knowledge about magic whatsoever. The only person who might even have a single clue would be...gosh, Daphne, I guess."

"Who's that?"

"Bloom's older sister."

"Bloom has a _sister_?" Mitzi's jaw drops in astonishment.

"It's a long story," Roxy and Andy say together, then smile at each other.

"Well is she here at all?"

"No. I haven't seen her since...everything happened," Roxy looks around the field almost as a precaution to make sure Daphne _isn't_ there somewhere. "She's probably on Domino. But, I don't really know her that well. I've only talked to her once or twice."

"But would she know about Selina?" Andy asks.

"I don't know; maybe? If Bloom had seen Selina at all beforehand, Daphne's probably the only person left alive she may have told."

"Then it sounds like you get to make a new friend." Mitzi smirks.

Roxy's eyes narrow. "I'm sorry; you became an expert in magic _when_? Was it before or after your 'tudors' were frozen in the Omega Dimension for all eternity?"

Mitzi's smirk doesn't go anywhere, but it seems to become darker. "Well, it appears I've worn out my welcome. I'll leave you two alone then."

"Thank you again for coming, Mitzi," Andy cuts in before Roxy can add another sarcastic quip.

"My pleasure, Andy. Roxy." She nods and then turns around, heading across the lawn to her parents.

"God, she's so annoying," Roxy says once Mitzi's out of earshot.

"Given. But she's also right."

"Excuse me?"

"You said it yourself," Andy places a hand on her shoulder. "Daphne's the closest living connection to Bloom that isn't currently sitting in a coma or on some far-off planet. If Bloom told her anything about Selina, it could be a major part in bringing those witches down."

"Uh-huh. And why do you care if the witches are still out there?"

"I'm not stupid, Roxy," Andy glances around. "It's only a matter of time before they come back here, hell-bent on world domination or whatever the villains are into these days. Without Bloom and the girls we're sitting ducks. And besides," he continues before Roxy can butt in, "those videos were clear; Selina's powering the witches and the monsters. Taking her out could be a big blow."

"I don't want to _kill_ her, Andy," Roxy snaps, hoping to make him drop the subject. But Andy just keeps staring at her, and finally she sighs. "It's like I told Mitzi; I've never talked to Daphne one-on-one. And I don't think she really wants to see me so soon after her sister's death."

"No time like the present, right?" Roxy gives him a look. "C'mon, at least try to talk to her, Roxy. There's no harm in that, right? If she doesn't know, she doesn't know, and if she does you can work from there."

"...Everyone reports back to Alfea on Monday." Roxy finally states. "Daphne teaches History of Magic to upper level students. I can probably go talk to her during her prep or something. If she's willing to talk to me, anyway."

"That's the spirit," Andy grins. "And you know if you need anything from my end, let me know."

"There may be one thing…" Andy raises an eyebrow, and Roxy gives a sheepish grin. "Prevent me from killing Mitzi?"

He laughs, and throws an arm around her shoulders. "Way ahead of you. Let's go thank Mike and Vanessa, then go get some real food."

Roxy smiles, and they head off across the lawn, only stopping to look at the picture of all six Winx girls that's propped up on the guestbook table.

* * *

_**In the next chapter:** Roxy seeks help from an heir of Domino, and discussions include revenge, breaking and entering, and pumpkin-loving former witches._


	3. Take My Hand And Come With Me

_**In the last chapter: **__Roxy attends Bloom's funeral on Earth, and with prodding from Andy and Mitzi, agrees to speak with Daphne about Selina, who has been seen in videos on the day the Winx died._

* * *

Chapter 2: Take My Hand And Come With Me

* * *

When Roxy returns to Alfea on Monday, she thinks it's wrong to say everyone looks happier. Because in all practical senses, there's still a sadness that hangs in the air and a feeling like something's out of place. It's a hole in Roxy's chest that she wants desperately to fill, but knows the only hope of filling it is time and time alone.

But the hallways aren't filled with silence and the freshman aren't wearing all black anymore, so it's a start.

On the holographic screens in the common room of the dorm, Roxy catches glimpses of the other funeral processions from around the realms. Some of them seem very thoughtful and provoking (Flora and Helia's joint service on Limphea almost makes Roxy cry again), while others incorporate traditions she's never even heard of before (Zenith. Maybe holographic projection _should_ be used in moderation).

One of Roxy's roommates, a redheaded fourth year student named Nova (she'd been held back during her second year for reasons Roxy was never made clear on) said she'd attended the service on Domino, and called it 'somber' and 'lifeless'. But she also mentioned Daphne had been present, and had relayed to multiple lords and ambassadors that she planned to continue on with her teaching at Alfea.

"But how did she look?" Roxy had asked Nova as she dropped her backpack onto the coffee table.

Nova's lips simply twisted. "Honestly? Pretty bad. I mean Thoren was there, so I think that helped, but she was having trouble holding it together."

"He was a cousin of Sky's, right?"

"Ha, try _the_ cousin. He was related to Sky through King Erendor, making him part of the official royal bloodline. And out of Erendor and his brother, he's the only male left."

"Meaning…?"

Nova had just chuckled. "_Meaning_, now that Sky's gone, and that whole arranged marriage to Diaspro went south, _Thoren_ is the heir to the Eraklyon throne."

Thinking back to that conversation, Roxy recalls more pity than anything. Her conversation with Sky at the Fruity Music Bar had rarely led into politics, but when they did it'd been obvious he'd possessed a great dislike for them. She doubts Thoren thought any higher of it, especially if he had never planned to rule Eraklyon in the first place.

Poor Daphne. First your sister dies then your boyfriend's put in charge of a whole planet.

In all honesty, if Roxy hadn't promised Andy, she would've put off trying to talk to Daphne for at least a week. Maybe more, if Nova was willing to keep her in the gossip loop. But a promise was a promise, and as a result Roxy finds herself walking down the Alfea hallways after final bell, towards the classroom for History of Magic.

The door is closed when Roxy gets there, no student in sight and no sounds to be heard. For a minute she thinks she should turn back, but Roxy knows that if she does, she'll never work up the courage to come back. So, instead of running, Roxy takes a deep breath, knocks three times on the door, and pushes it open.

"Professor Daphne?"

The classroom is identical to every other one she's been in before. One whole wall is lined with windows looking onto the woods, the desks are a light mahogany, and there's a scent of old books and fairy dust that always lingers around. Roxy's eyes glance to the left, and she finds a blonde figure at the desk at the front of the room. The desk itself is completely disorganized with papers and textbooks, but the woman looks very put together, which Roxy finds interesting considering her sister died less than a week ago.

Daphne raises her head and looks at Roxy, her eyes a bit distant but clear nonetheless. "Sorry, I know the tutoring sessions are usually here, but they're in Palladium's room for the next month."

Roxy blinks. "Wha...no. I'm not here for a tutoring session. My name is Roxy Morgan."

Daphne's eyes narrow as though she's heard the name before, and after a few moments her eyes widen in realization. "Roxy...the last Earth fairy?"

"That's me. I'm a...or, I _was_, a friend of Bloom's. And the girls."

"Of course. I was told great things about you. You were a good friend to my sister." Her voice carries a deep emotion, and all Roxy can do is smile politely. "I take it that's what you're here to discuss. My sister."

"Um, yes ma'am." Roxy steps further into the classroom, "Do you have a minute? I can come back later…"

Daphne waves her hand. "No, no. I'm not getting any work done anyway. Come in; take a seat." She snaps her fingers and the door behind Roxy swings shut. She fights the sense of dread in her stomach and sits on top of one of the desks in front of Daphne's. "What can I do for you?"

Roxy takes a deep breath. "How much did Bloom tell you about her life on Earth? Before she found out about...everything."

Daphne raises an eyebrow; she obviously wasn't expecting a question like that. "She… didn't get into a whole lot of detail with me. I know about her foster parents, a few stories from when she was young; I know about you, obviously. But other than that, I'm not very knowledgeable. Bloom and I were focused on the future; the lives ahead of us on Domino."

The way she brushes Mike and Vanessa aside for Oritel and Marion makes Roxy's fists clench, but she tries not to let it distract her. "What about friends? Besides me, that is. Did she ever mention anyone?"

"Well, there was you. A girl named Mitzi...her first serious boyfriend; his name was Andre - "

"Andy," Roxy cuts in before she can stop herself.

"That's right, Andy. And two other guys that hung around him a lot… probably a few others too. My memory isn't great right now."

"Did she ever mention a Selina? Maybe within the last few weeks."

Daphne's eyes narrow. "What's this about, Roxy? I don't think you ever said."

She blinks at Daphne's change in attitude. Part of her wants to start arguing back, but knows it's hardly Daphne's fault she's so stressed. Instead she waves her hand, recalling an old spell Tecna had taught her during their time on Earth. A small hologram appears in her hand, reflecting Selina's image. "This is Selina King. I knew her in middle school, but Bloom was in school with her from first to eighth grade…ages six to fourteen, roughly," Roxy clarifies when a look of confusion passes over Daphne's face. "Does she look familiar to you at all?"

"No," Daphne says. "What does she have to do with anything?"

"She's in a video taken in Honolulu on…well, the day everything happened. And I can't tell exactly, but it looks kinda-sorta like she's helping the Trix."

Daphne's lips press together in a thin line, and though Roxy doesn't know any personal quirks about Daphne, she can tell Daphne's visibly upset. "Helping how?" she finally asks.

"It looked like she was supplying the Trix with energy, who in turn gave it to the monsters."

Daphne shakes her head and stands, heading toward the windows. She can see Daphne's shoulders are starting to shake. "You said this girl's name is Selina?"

"Yes. Selina King."

There's a long sigh. "Egypt."

Roxy stares at her. Maybe she should go get Ms. Faragonda; it seems having Daphne back so soon is not the best idea. "Sorry?"

She shakes her head, as though remembering there's another person there. "Bloom. When she and the girls got back from Egypt a few weeks ago, she had mentioned something about seeing a friend from Earth. I thought she had just gotten heat stroke in the Library of Alexandria, and then after a while I thought maybe _you_ had been there, since I wasn't up to date on the mission. But that name...I remember Bloom specifically saying it. She said she saw _Selina_."

Roxy's stomach drops. This is exactly _not_ what she wanted to hear. "Then that means she must be working with the Trix. The pieces fit."

Daphne turns back around, and Roxy is surprised to see her eyes are narrowed. "How long has she been allied with the Trix?"

"...Not long, I would assume. Sometime after the girls defeated Tritanus, so...four months? Maybe five?"

"And her powers? How long have those been in play?"

"Tir Nan Og didn't pick them up, so the only assumption I can think of is fairly recently, too. Though I don't know if she's received any training."

Daphne's shuffling through her desk drawers. "Anything else you can tell me?"

Roxy is tempted to answer 'your constant mood swings worry me' but instead decides on, "If Selina's really allied with the Trix, she's more than likely holed up with them in Cloud Tower."

"Duly noted. Though a bit late...ah, here we go."

Daphne sets a dusty scroll onto her desk and rolls it out, shoving aside random piles of books and student work. Roxy cautiously steps forward, and looks at the lines running across the page. "...What is this? Some kind of map?"

"Yes. There are underground tunnels that used to connect Alfea, Cloud Tower, and Red Fountain. They became obsolete when Red Fountain was remodeled and the witches and fairies stopped their rivalry, but they're still there."

Roxy blinked. "Uh-huh...and you're interested in these tunnels because…"

"If what you said is true, Selina's in Cloud Tower. And she's inexperienced. That makes her an easy target, and a blow to the witches if she's eliminated."

Daphne moves to roll the scroll back up, but Roxy slaps a hand down to stop her. "Whoa whoa; wait a minute. When you say eliminate, what do you mean, exactly?"

The blonde girl's eyes narrow. "I mean kill; the sooner the better. Tonight, if possible."

"_Tonight?_" This is not the reaction Roxy had been expecting _at all_. "Kill her? Like head on the ground, heart not beating kill?"

"You're from Earth; don't you know what 'kill' means?"

Roxy sucks in a sharp breath, and is tempted, _oh so tempted_, to start fighting these Earth cracks Daphne keeps making. But instead she says, "You can't _kill_ her. You don't even know if she's involved yet."

"You said she was on Earth when the attack happened, and looked to be allied with the Trix. What other information do I need?"

"I wouldn't have _told_ you all that if I knew you were going to go all homicide on me!" Roxy snaps. "I may not have known Selina well when I was a kid, but that doesn't mean I'm going to sit by and watch you try to kill her!"

"Even if she's responsible for Bloom's death?" Daphne asks, looking at her pointedly.

Roxy pauses for a moment, weighing both sides of the argument. "...Bloom wouldn't want you to rush into this without being one hundred percent sure Selina was involved." she finally says. "And you know that."

"Then if she's not there, I won't kill her. Fair?" Daphne sends out a burst of magic that knocks Roxy's hand away, and she rolls up the scroll. "I appreciate your concern, Roxy, and the information you've given me. But right now it's best to just let me handle it."

"By barging into Cloud Tower while Icy, Darcy, and Stormy have control over it?"

"I can handle those three if I come across them. Now, if you don't mind, it appears I have some planning to do."

Roxy watches in complete shock as Daphne steps around her and heads for the door, as though she's no more than an overzealous student. For a moment she wants to curse Andy for making her come here (and Mitzi for the damned idea in the first place), but knows this is _not_ how either of them expected to find Daphne. Bloom's previous descriptions had fondly regarded her as a clumsy yet kind woman, not someone hellbent on seeking revenge. Though becoming hellbent on revenge seemed to be a side effect of death (Aisha's alliance with Nebula comes to mind as a shining example).

Quite a few choice comebacks enter Roxy's head to yell at Daphne, but instead she decided to say the one thing that will make her stop dead in her tracks. "I'm coming with you."

The sound of footsteps stop. "...What?"

"Going into Cloud Tower alone in the middle of night is a suicide mission. You need backup, not to mention a person to hold you back from killing Selina on-site. I'm going."

"You're a kid. You're staying."

"Have you even _been_ to Cloud Tower before?" Roxy asks.

There's a pause that makes Roxy smirk. Finally, she's caught her off guard. And that pause allows her to get ahead.

"...They layout doesn't matter," Daphne finally responds. "There are maps. I'm still going. Alone," she throws Roxy a pointed look.

"Then I'll tell Ms. Faragonda and Griselda. And we both know they won't let you go there," Roxy puts her hands on her hips. "Or you may lose your job here. Or worse."

Daphne stares wide eyed at Roxy. "You don't have the guts."

Roxy narrows her eyes in response, and walks out the door and to the left, headed for Faragonda's office. Once she's out of Daphne's direct line of vision, she takes a few deep breaths to steady herself. If this doesn't work, she'll need a new way to get information on Selina. There was an old woman the girls were talking about who had information on the Legendarium. Maybe if Roxy found her…

"Okay, okay; you can come! Wait!"

Roxy deliberately slows her pace to a stop, wipes the smirk off her face, and turns back around. Daphne is standing a few feet away, her face a mixture of annoyance and worry. "Really?"

"Yes," Daphne almost sounds out of breath. "Just _don't_ tell Faragonda or Griselda. And I'll do my best not to hurt your friend."

Roxy wants to argue Selina is hardly a friend, but just nods. "Thank you."

Daphne rolls her eyes and heads back in the opposite direction. After a moment, Roxy follows her. "So...do we still leave tonight?"

"Yes."

Roxy nods. "Great. But..."

"Oh for Magix's sake, _what now_?" Daphne spins back around, looking annoyed.

For a second she considers abandoning her thought, but Roxy shakes it off. "Well, I mean, if what you said about not knowing Cloud Tower's layout is true...shouldn't we think about brining someone along who _does_ know it?"

"You're implying we ask more people?"

"Not a lot! Maybe just...someone who knows CT. Who's been there before, even? Heck, for all I care you can ask your boyfriend to come along, too. I just think we need someone with firsthand knowledge of the place we're infiltrating. You know, in case we get caught by the witches?"

Daphne stares at her for a moment before sighing. "That would be...wise, I suppose."

Though she didn't expect Daphne to cave so easily, she manages to keep the happiness off her face. "Great. So, do you have anyone in mind?"

To her surprise, Daphne grins. "As a matter of fact, I do. Come on," she turns and heads back down the hall.

Roxy raises an eyebrow and starts to follow her. "Where are we going?"

"Field trip."

* * *

Downtown Magix is cloudy with a light drizzle of rain. It seems to be reflecting the mood of the entire dimension. Daphne uses a simple spell to keep droplets from hitting her as she and Roxy head along the street. Roxy has a dark green umbrella; she doesn't know any water deflection spell and figures Daphne wouldn't tell her one if she asked. It was a miracle her shirt wasn't signed yet.

"It's just around the corner," Daphne directs, and before Roxy knows it they're stopped in front of a two-story building that's painted a dark brown. Sage it running up one side of it, and the small sheltered patio is occupied by a few people dressed in dark colors. Roxy's eyes drift up to the neon sign above the door.

"The Black Lagoon Café?"

"It was created as a joke by some senior witches a few years back. Bloom told me there was this whole thing with Stella…" Daphne's voice trails off, and Roxy glances over just in time to see her compose herself. "It used to be a big witch hangout during the rivalry years, but since everyone gets along now, it's just a coffee shop run by CT alumni."

"And this is where our mystery girl is?"

"Indeed." Without signaling, Daphne steps onto the small patio and opens the door to the café. Roxy fumbles to close her umbrella and darts inside after Daphne.

The shop's interior is cozy in Roxy's opinion. The walls are exposed brick and decorated with paintings and various trinkets. The coffee bar is on one side, opposite booths with deep purple cushions and several dark tables. There are quite a few people, but it's not nearly as busy as the mainstream coffee shops Bloom's dragged Roxy to before. Though in all honesty, she prefers this one.

Roxy stops examining the interior to see Daphne is heading toward the counter, catching the attention of the pink-haired barista. She rolls her eyes and follows, catching the end of Daphne's question. "...graduated two years ago? Is she here?"

The pink-haired girl is nodding. "Yeah, she's in back. One second." She disappears behind a purple velvet curtain before Roxy can speak.

"I take it she's here?" Roxy asks, glancing up at the drink menu. She doesn't know what a Dark Mud Latte is, but she's fairly certain she doesn't want to find out.

"Yes. And when she gets here, just let me do the talking." Daphne says.

"Yeah, because you're such a charmer," Roxy mutters under her breath.

The death glare she receives tells her she wasn't silent enough. "My sister is dead. Pardon me for not being more cheerful."

_Bloom was my friend too!_ Roxy wants to snap, but she's spared as the curtains part, and the pink haired girl walks back out, accompanied by another person.

The girl in front of them has a short red bob, and is dressed in orange jeans and flowing back top. Rings are on most of her fingers, and if Roxy didn't know any better, she'd say she was a witch. Except she's seen this girl around Alfea before, mostly taking advanced classes designed for alumni who want to sharpen their powers. Roxy tries to put a name to the face, but the girl speaks, answering the question for her.

"Your Highness," she says, giving a small bow towards Daphne. "My name is Mirta. I hear you want to speak with me?"

* * *

_**In the next chapter: **__Eraklyon royals are called, breaking and entering occurs, and information is gathered._


	4. Don't Bleed On The Books

**_In the last chapter:_**_ After some tense arguments, Daphne agrees to let Roxy accompany her to Cloud Tower to see if Selina really is working with the Trix._

___**Update (7/27):** Some grammatical errors were pointed out in this chapter, and have been fixed. If you see any others please come yell at me._

* * *

Chapter 3: Don't Bleed on the Books

* * *

When Roxy first came to Alfea, she expected to learn things like potions and ancient mystical spells - something out of the Harry Potter novels, just with fairies in place of wizards.

She did not expect to be standing in a forest clearing in the middle of the night, teeth chattering as she huddles into her jacket. To her left, Daphne taps her foot with a touch of impatience as Mirta carefully examines the tree she thinks contains the passage to Cloud Tower. "Are you sure?" Daphne finally asks, looking over to Mirta.

"I could give you a solid answer if you'd stop asking every fifteen seconds," Mirta responds, a small smirk on her face. Roxy likes her; she can dish out quips to match Daphne's attitude. "Some of these old trees are decoys the witches set up. Don't want to trigger some five-year-old spell that turns you into a pumpkin."

Roxy raises an eyebrow. "Spells like that exist?"

"Yes they do. Trust me." Mirta reaches around to a tree branch, and after a moment smirks. "Here we go." She yanks on the branch, and part of the tree fades away, revealing a stone staircase leading underground. "This would be your last chance to stop this insanity and go home."

"Funny," Daphne says. She looks around, as though waiting.

"Worth a try," Mirta shrugs at Roxy. "After you guys, then."

"Just…one second."

Roxy rolls her eyes. "You're kidding right? After all the 'why can't you find this faster' junk, you want to wait, Daphne?"

"Just a minute."

"The Trix are probably asleep by now. You have nothing to worry about," Mirta says, trying to sound helpful.

"That's not my concern, trust me."

"Then what - " Roxy stops mid sentence as she picks up on a sound coming from the woods. She holds up a finger, and the other two girls fall silent. "Do you guys hear…an engine?"

"Finally," Daphne sighs.

Before Roxy can ask, the sound gets louder, and a levi-bike bursts into the clearing. Its rider is wearing a black helmet and dressed in dark colors. The bike skids to a stop a few feet from them, kicking dust and leaves into the air. Roxy coughs and waves a hand to clear it from her face. When her eyes stop watering, she looks over in time to see the rider take his helmet off.

"Thoren?" she asks in disbelief.

"You did say it would be a good idea to call him." Daphne says, a small smirk on her face. She goes to greet him before Roxy can respond.

"Who is he?" Mirta asks, coming to stand beside Roxy.

"Thoren of Eraklyon. Sky's cousin."

"Ah. They look alike," Mirta says, almost as an afterthought.

Roxy's surprised to hear that. She forgets Mirta was around long before she knew anything about magic. "Did you spend a lot of time with him? Sky, I mean."

"Somewhat. I hung out with the girls mostly, but I knew them. Probably knew Helia best just because I spent a lot of time with Flora…" Mirta trails off, and the two watch as Daphne and Thoren embrace. "Daphne's lucky Thoren didn't go with them."

"_Daphne's_ lucky she didn't go with them," Roxy says quietly. "Or Roy."

"Now there's a name I truly don't know," Mirta smirks. "I barely even knew Nabu. Aisha had just started really moving past him, and now it looks like they're together again in the afterlife. Or whatever lies beyond life."

"Nabu isn't dead," Roxy says after a moment. "It's a suspended state; he could wake up at any time. Tir Nan Og is just nervous that their magic might make things worse."

"Sounds like he's dead to me, then."

Roxy wants to respond, but let's the argument go as Daphne and Thoren finally join them. "Roxy," Thoren nods his head in her direction, and holds out a hand for Mirta. "I'm Thoren. Mirta, right?"

"Last I checked. Nice to meet you." Mirta accepts his hand. "I take it you aren't here to just wish us luck?"

He smiles. "No; Daphne asked me if I'd accompany you girls. No magic powers, but I am well trained in defense. Might come in handy."

"The more the merrier, right Roxy?"

"If it keeps everyone sane, I'm for it." Roxy shoots a look towards Daphne. "We should probably get going. I wanted some sleep before classes tomorrow."

"Technically it's today," Mirta turns and steps into the passage. "C'mon. It's only a five minute walk."

Inside, the caverns are cool, but stuffy for their years of disuse. There are slots where torches may have been long ago, but they're currently empty and covered in cobwebs. The silence is deafening, but in a way it makes Roxy feel better. There's no way anyone will think to look for them in the tunnels.

"So," Mirta breaks the silence first. "What's our plan of attack here?"

"Plan of attack?" Daphne echoes.

"Well I mean you didn't just come here to throw fireballs and leave, did you?"

Thoren looks over to Daphne. "You _were_ a bit vague on the details."

"Well…that's because…"

"This is more of an information gathering mission." Roxy cuts in, deciding to be a good person and save Daphne from any embarrassment. "We need to find out if a particular girl is aligned with the Trix and played a part in the girls' death."

"Who is she?" Thoren asks.

Roxy thinks for a moment, and holds out a hand. She launches a projection spell, and a likeness of Selina from the videos appears in her hand. "Her name is Selina King. She's from Gardenia, but we lost touch years ago. She's in some of those videos from Hawaii, but we didn't think she had any powers…"

"You're sure she's not a fairy?" Mirta asks.

"If she is her magic is dark. Too dark for Tir Nan Og to find." Roxy lets the spell drop. "I just…_we_ just need to know if she played a part in this."

"So what happens if this Selina girl isn't involved at all?" Thoren asks.

"…Then we focus on the Trix again. And stop them for good."

"Oh yeah, never heard that one before," Mirta rolls her eyes. She shrugs when everyone turns to stare at her. "It's true. But back to the point; investigating. We'll probably want to split up and check out the North and South Wings. The Trix stayed there back when they were Cloud Tower students, so it's kind of their second home. I'd check out the potions lab, Main Library, and maybe the Crypt. That's where they'd usually hang out, and they may have left something behind that'll indicate what they're up to. Or if Selina's involved."

Roxy nods. "How do you think we should split?"

"I can take someone through the potions lab and the Crypt. The others can go to the main library; it's pretty easy to get to from where the passage lets out. We take an hour, then meet back up at the entrance. In and out easy."

"The Crypt holds energy from the Ancestral Witches, doesn't it?" Thoren asks. "Sky once told me Bloom went there trying to find information on Oritel and Marion."

"It does. I'm hoping the witches will be just as considerate a second time around."

"If you're going to try and communicate with them, I should go with you," Daphne says. "They may be more willing to talk to an heir of Domino."

"Joy," Roxy hears Mirta mutter under her breath.

"Well then, Roxy," Thoren says, his voice betraying the fact he heard Mirta as well, "Think we can handle a library?"

She smiles politely in response. "Let's do it."

* * *

Once the passage ends, it's only twenty or so feet up to a back entrance (Roxy has almost forgotten the witches had suspended the school in the air to try and keep it isolated). The girls can easily make it with their transformations, and Daphne easily lifts Thoren and herself with her wings. They're an odd sight, really; one man in dark clothes and three fairies with varying transformations (Daphne's Sirenix, Roxy's Believix, and Mirta's Enchantix). But once safely inside, they split up and go their respective ways.

The library Roxy is tasked with searching is a lot like Alfea's, when she gets right down to it. It's large, with books lining the walls and countless other shelves. Alcoves are set up periodically, and the older, more powerful books are locked behind a magical barrier. Or at least, they normally would have been. When Roxy comes across the space, the spell protecting the books is dull and blinking in and out of activity. The shelves behind it have holes where ancient books are usually kept.

"Looks like the witches picked this place clean," Thoren whispers, reaching through the spell with ease and plucking a book from the shelf. "I wonder what they took..."

"Probably stuff that helped create those monsters," Roxy says, glancing around. "Maybe taking a few books will slow them down?"

"It looks like they've already got what they wanted," Thoren points out, thumbing through the book he's picked up. "But there's still some powerful stuff in here. Like this one? It's called _Communicating With Ghosts, Demons, and Dead Souls_. You can bring a dead person's ghost back and talk to it."

Roxy glances over his shoulder at the pages. "I don't even recognize that language."

"It's an ancient elf language from Oppositus. You have to read the spells backwards for them to work."

"I'm impressed. Where'd you learn to read that?"

"Every Eraklyon dignitary has to speak at least two languages. I chose it as my second. Truth be told I did it just to read old fiction books I was interested in. I…" he stops for a moment. "I guess I've got a few more to learn now."

Roxy feels her stomach drop. "Right. I heard about your…promotion."

"Yeah, promotion," he shuts the book, but instead of returning it to the shelf, he puts it in the bag he brought. "I guess that's a good a word as any."

"…Have they told you anything, yet?" Roxy tentatively asks.

"No. I'll be doing royal prep for a few years at least. And though no one's said directly, I still have a few months to decide if I want to abdicate." He crosses his arms. "The whole thing is a shit storm."

Roxy nods. "Thoren?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry about Sky."

He sighs, the anger on his face melting into a pitiful look. "Thanks. I'm sorry about the girls and the rest of the Specialists. You guys seemed close."

"Yeah, but I wasn't related to anyone. It's hard to lose family. Believe me, been there and done that."

Thoren nods. "Nobody seems to want to talk about it. Someone once said Eraklyon is like a kingdom on Earth because we do that…a place called England?"

Roxy smiles briefly. "Keep calm and carry on, the British always say."

"That's it. But oddly enough, it doesn't make me think any higher of my new kingdom."

"That's fair." Roxy realizes this is the longest conversation she's ever had with Thoren, and it's the first time she's ever seen him bitter. It's odd; he's usually in a pretty good mood, and seeing him so upset is unusual. She isn't sure what to do. Maybe Daphne would have an idea if she were here.

Before Roxy can say anything (or, more likely, embarrass herself), a voice booms through the silent library, starling both her and Thoren into silence. "Are you sure you weren't followed?"

"Very sure, Master. Those witches are all asleep." There's a pause, and then a low, feminine chuckle. "And too stupid to figure anything out."

Roxy and Thoren stare at each other in shock. For a few seconds, it's like they're both caught in a dream; the _Trix_ are out of the loop? That seems impossible. And it must mean something very, _very_ bad is happening._  
_

Thoren seems to get his common sense back first, and lifts a finger to his lips while motioning towards where the voices are coming from. Roxy nods, and together they begin to move along the bookcases in the darkness. Almost as an afterthought, Roxy de-transforms, and the soft glow her wings usually emit disappear.

They follow the voices down a few rows until they reach a small alcove. There is a decent view into it through an empty space in the bookshelf (where the Trix have more than likely made their rounds). Thoren nods, and they crouch down, peering into the open space.

At first glance, it seems there's only one person there; Selina. Roxy feels her heart drop at her confirmed suspicions, and takes a moment to thank whatever Gods are listening that Daphne isn't here. Selina's back is to them, and her focus is on…a book?

"They may be stupid," Roxy jumps as a deep voice booms from the book, "But they are also cautious around you. Why have they not yet shared their powers with you?"

The more Roxy stares, the more she can make out a sketch of a man on the open pages in the book. Magic is gently swirling on the page, casting a faint golden glow. And it makes the sketch appear to be…_moving_.

"Is that a person?" Roxy says softly to Thoren. "Trapped in the book?"

He shrugs and nods in response.

"I'm trying, Acheron," Selina responds to the book, and Roxy knows now that there _must_ be someone in there. "I feel their former allies have made them this way. But now that I've defeated the Winx, it should be no time before they share their power with me. Then I can finally get you out of here."

"Ah yes, _those_ girls," the book - Acheron - chuckles. "You're sure they're really gone?"

Selina hesitates. "One of the boys did survive…but he's in a coma. With no signs of ever waking up."

"Then why not go take care of him permanently?"

"It would take too much magic. Which we apparently need to save up," Selina sighs. "If those witches don't start sharing it soon, we'll need another way to get you out."

"There are other ways," Acheron assures her. "But of course the witch's magic or any dark spell will be easiest. However, there are other powerful sources available if it come to that. It won't be much longer now."

Roxy feels a shiver go down her spine. She doesn't know much, but it's apparent getting Acheron out of that book is another very, _very_ bad thing. The look on Thoren's face tells her she's not the only one thinking that.

"Why the rush all of a sudden?" Selina asks. "The Winx are dead and the Trix are clueless. At this rate we could leisurely walk to our place ruling the magical dimension."

"You're getting ahead of yourself, Selina. Don't forget you were seen when you got rid of those fairies. It may only be a matter of time before someone figures it out and comes to lock me in this infernal book for all of time."

"But you said it was impossible for someone to lock the Legendarium!" Selina accuses, taking a step back from the book. Roxy has a clearer view, and can see Acheron moving on the page.

"I said _nearly_ impossible. The last person who ever knew how to close it - and ever came close to defeating me - was finished off during the attacks on Domino; the so-called 'Greatest Wizard of the Magical Universe.' But given time, someone else could figure it out."

Roxy watches Thoren's eyes go wide.

"Well what's our next move then?" Selina crosses her arms over her chest.

"I…" Acheron starts, but his voice trails off. Roxy glances at the book and can just see his eyes are narrowed. The wisps of magic that coated the page flare up, and then suddenly launch towards her and Thoren. It hits the shelf above them, and books clatter to the floor, leaving a larger hole through which they're clearly visible. "You two!"

"Run!" Thoren grabs Roxy's hand, and they race towards the doors. Magic blasts shoot by them, but they're too small to make an impact. Automatically, Roxy summons her Believix, turns around, and shoots the bottom of the book stand. It falls to the floor, effectively shutting Acheron inside its pages.

"We have to get out of here," Thoren says as they enter the hallway. He turns and jams the doors with a long sword. "That girl's gonna come after us. Or worse."

"Worse?" Roxy says, glancing around the halls. She doesn't see anyone, which is good, but she also doesn't see Daphne or Mirta.

"Roxy," Thoren says as though she's stupid. "That was the _Legendarium_!"

There's a loud cracking sound, and the wooden doors to the library start to break.

"Yeah, fill me in later." Roxy grabs his forearms and manages to lift them both off the ground before she heads down the hall they came from. "Right now we need to get to Mirta and Daphne. How long were we in there?"

"Probably around the hour we were given." Thoren says.

There's more cracking sounds. "Well they aren't here, so what do we do?"

"You're asking me?"

_Bloom would know what to do_, a voice said in the back of Roxy's head.

But Bloom wasn't here. And she never would be again. It was time to stop asking 'what would Bloom do' and start asking 'what could _she_ do'.

Roxy lets go of Thoren and turned towards the way they'd came. She summons the most powerful shield she knows and throws it up over the passage, creating a barrier between her and Selina. "I can hold this for a few minutes. You go get Daphne and Mirta so we can get out of here."

"Luckily that isn't necessary." The pink-haired fairy sighs in relief and turns to see Mirta and Daphne coming from the other way. They're both still transformed, but it doesn't look like they've come across any major trouble.

"Roxy what on Earth…" Daphne starts.

"I'll explain later! But for now; Thoren, give Mirta that book you found!"

Thoren raises an eyebrow, but obliges and passes it along. Roxy hears a loud explosion from beyond the barrier, but doesn't let it phase her. "Is there anything in there you can use to distract Selina while we make a run for it?"

"Selina's here?" Daphne asks, but Roxy elects to completely ignore her and focus on Mirta, who hastily thumbs through the pages of the book. Apparently everyone in this freaking dimension can read troll languages but her.

Mirta scrunches her eyes, and then they light up. "Drop the shield."

Thoren looks shocked. "You sure?"

"Like eighty percent sure!"

"Close enough for me!" Roxy says, and pulls her energy back. The shield dissipates, and Mirta quickly reads through a spell. It only takes a few seconds, but it feels like hours in Roxy's mind. She watches shadows dance in the hallways, and suddenly she can Selina stalking towards them, the Legendarium under her arm.

No sooner than Selina's eyes connect with Roxy does Mirta finish reading the spell. Suddenly, the shadows from the wall jump to life, peeling off surfaces and floating in the air. Some adopt faces, but most are lifeless black masses. But they seem to be intently focused on Mirta, who simply smirks and points a finger at Selina. "Get her."

The shadows take off for her. Roxy watches Selina scream and try to shield herself, but the shadows are on her in no time, completely obscuring her from view. A hand tries to reach out, but is quickly engulfed. There's a pang on guilt in Roxy chest before she realizes it's a better fate than Daphne trying to blow her head off.

"Let's go!" Speaking of which, Roxy turns to see Daphne holding open the passage back to the tunnels. Mirta has Thoren with her. "Before those things wear off!"

Roxy nods and flies through the passage and down into the tunnels. She lands and turns in time to see Daphne enter, then turn around and release a beam of magic energy. The rocks around the opening of the passage shake, then surge and block it off, effectively preventing it from being seen. Daphne sighs in relief and slides to the ground, her fairy form flickering off.

"Daph, you okay?" Thoren immediately goes over and puts an arm around her, helping her stand again.

"My magic…" Daphne says between deep breaths. "I put all of it…into trying to coax out those…damn witches…"

"We didn't get far," Mirta finishes, flipping through the spell book again. "Obviously you had better luck."

Thoren nods. "That girl has the Legendarium. With what looks like a powerful wizard inside it."

"The Legendarium?" Daphne says, her eyes wide. "You're sure?"

"Does someone want to actually tell me what that is?" Roxy asks. Though the name sounds vaguely familiar - maybe from history class or hearing Bloom and the girls talk about it - the adrenaline in her system is jumbling her thoughts.

"The Legendarium is a book that supposedly brings magical creatures and other beings to life based on the will of it's user." Daphne says. She raises an eyebrow. "The wizard you mentioned didn't happen to be named Acheron, did he?"

Roxy's eyes widen. "You know him?"

"I know _of_ him. He created the Legendarium, but accidentally imprisoned himself inside it. The book was housed in the Library of Alexandria for years. How it got out of there and into a human's hands I don't know. But he's probably using her to try and get free again."

"That _would_ explain why she suddenly has magic powers…" Roxy says. "So what do we do?"

"I'm no expert," Mirta responds, "but I'd say we probably need to close that book and lock it for good."

"That's where it gets confusing," Thoren pipes up. "I read about this thing before. Nobody's ever been able to find a surefire way to lock it."

"At all?" Mirta asks. She sounds skeptical. "That book must've been somewhere before Alexandria. That means people knew it existed. And power like that would likely cause concern. Someone must've figured out a way to lock it. Or at least gotten close."

Roxy sighs and leans against the cave wall. "Forget it; that Acheron guy said the only person who ever came close to locking was some guy before Domino froze that called himself the 'Greatest Wizard in the Magical Universe'. That must've been twenty years ago…at least. Plus Acheron said he died. Who even _knows_ someone that fits a description like that?"

She doesn't expect an answer, but after a moment Mirta responds again, her voice grim. "I know one person. And I think," she raises the book up, "I know how to reach him."

* * *

_**In the next chapter: **Mirta uses the stolen spell book to summon a particular spirit, the girls learn about Acheron, and a surprising new ally is made (though Daphne and Mirta refuse to refer to him as such)._

_**Review Question: **Who do you think Mirta is summoning? Or, if you know me well enough to guess who that someone is, who's a _cooler_ person for Mirta to summon?_


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